Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, Bookish Wisdom earns from qualifying purchases. This doesn't change our picks or your price.
Quick answer: If you like Anne Rice, read The Vampire Lestat, Dracula, Carmilla and The Historian, then The Witching Hour and The Picture of Dorian Gray. All offer lush, gothic stories of immortals, forbidden desire and haunted souls.
Anne Rice brought vampires into the modern era with Interview with the Vampire, giving them complicated feelings and a taste for beauty. Her prose is rich and her settings, from New Orleans to Paris, are unforgettable. The books below share gothic atmosphere, long-lived characters and a mix of horror and romance.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interview with the Vampire | Anne Rice | Adult | where it all began |
| The Vampire Lestat | Anne Rice | Adult | the follow-up |
| The Witching Hour | Anne Rice | Adult | witches and families |
| Dracula | Bram Stoker | Adult | the original vampire |
| Carmilla | J. Sheridan Le Fanu | Adult | early vampire fiction |
| The Historian | Elizabeth Kostova | Adult | literary vampire quest |
| Fevre Dream | George R.R. Martin | Adult | vampires on the river |
| The Hunger | Whitley Strieber | Adult | sensual vampires |
| Let the Right One In | John Ajvide Lindqvist | Adult | dark friendship |
| The Passage | Justin Cronin | Adult | apocalyptic vampires |
| Dead Until Dark | Charlaine Harris | Adult | Southern vampires |
| Dark Lover | J.R. Ward | Adult | romantic vampires |
| A Discovery of Witches | Deborah Harkness | Adult | witches and vampires |
| The Picture of Dorian Gray | Oscar Wilde | Adult | decadent gothic |
| 'Salem's Lot | Stephen King | Adult | small-town vampires |
1. Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice
Louis tells his life story to a reporter and recounts his time as a vampire. The landmark that launched the Vampire Chronicles.
Best for: where it all began.
2. The Vampire Lestat by Anne Rice
The second Vampire Chronicles novel is told by the flamboyant Lestat. A bigger, bolder and more adventurous book.
Best for: the follow-up.
3. The Witching Hour by Anne Rice
A neurosurgeon is drawn into the history of a family of witches. Long, absorbing and rich in New Orleans atmosphere.
Best for: witches and families.
4. Dracula by Bram Stoker
The original vampire novel, told through letters and diaries. Atmospheric and still a good read.
Best for: the original vampire.
5. Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu
A young woman befriends a mysterious girl, who may be a vampire. A short novella from 1872 that predates Dracula.
Best for: early vampire fiction.
6. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
A young woman follows her father's trail in search of Dracula's tomb. Rich in travel and history.
Best for: literary vampire quest.
7. Fevre Dream by George R.R. Martin
A steamboat captain partners with a mysterious man on the Mississippi. A brooding vampire novel.
Best for: vampires on the river.
8. The Hunger by Whitley Strieber
A vampire in New York searches for a new companion. Sensual and chilly.
Best for: sensual vampires.
9. Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist
A bullied boy befriends a strange girl in a Swedish suburb. Dark, moving and disturbing.
Best for: dark friendship.
10. The Passage by Justin Cronin
A government experiment unleashes vampiric creatures, and a girl is the key. Epic and ambitious.
Best for: apocalyptic vampires.
11. Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
Sookie Stackhouse falls for a vampire in Louisiana. The start of the Southern Vampire Mysteries.
Best for: Southern vampires.
12. Dark Lover by J.R. Ward
The first Black Dagger Brotherhood novel follows vampire warriors. Steamy and fast.
Best for: romantic vampires.
13. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
A historian discovers a magical manuscript and meets a vampire geneticist. Scholarly, romantic and long.
Best for: witches and vampires.
14. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
A man stays young while his portrait ages. Witty and decadent, a gothic classic.
Best for: decadent gothic.
15. 'Salem's Lot by Stephen King
A writer returns to his hometown, where vampires have taken over. Classic small-town horror.
Best for: small-town vampires.
How to Choose
If you want more of the Vampire Chronicles, read The Vampire Lestat next. For classic gothic horror, choose Dracula, Carmilla or The Picture of Dorian Gray. For modern vampire stories, pick The Historian, The Passage or A Discovery of Witches. For romance and fantasy, try Dark Lover or Dead Until Dark. If you want darker, more violent vampires, read 'Salem's Lot or Let the Right One In. Several of these contain mature content. Read these in a dim room with a candle for the full effect. If you prefer shorter gothic reads, Carmilla and The Picture of Dorian Gray are quick, while The Witching Hour and The Passage are long, immersive commitments. Rice's own later novels vary in tone, so check the description before you buy.
Related: Printable List of Anne Rice Books · What Age Is The Diary of a Young Girl (Anne Frank) Appropriate For? A Parent’s Guide
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Interview with the Vampire about?
Louis, a vampire, tells a young reporter about his life, his companion Lestat and the girl Claudia.
Where should I start with Anne Rice?
Interview with the Vampire is the usual start.
How many Vampire Chronicles books are there?
More than a dozen.
Are Anne Rice's books spicy?
They are sensual and sometimes explicit.
Was there a film or TV series?
Yes, a 1994 film and AMC series.
What other authors write gothic romance?
Daphne du Maurier and Susanna Kearsley.
Who is Lestat?
The charismatic vampire at the center of many of the Vampire Chronicles.
Is Anne Rice's writing difficult?
It is ornate, but her stories move.
Where does Anne Rice set her books?
Many are set in New Orleans, Paris and Europe.
Is the Vampire Chronicles a long series?
Yes, and fans often read it in publication order.
Should I read Dracula first?
It is not required, but it adds context for Rice's reinvention of the vampire.